Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems make it possible to create 3-dimensional models of parts and assemblies. At the same time, synchronous collaboration systems such as CoCreate, Inc.'s OneSpace, now allow remotely located users to communicate via a synchronously coupled view of one or more 3D objects. Collaboration environments are very useful in assisting communication between remotely located product designers, and between suppliers and manufacturers.
The use of graphical markup tools, which provide functionality for drawing shapes and adding text on the screen without modifying the 3-D model, enhances the communication ability of collaboration session members. As an example, suppose a first company manufactures automobiles that require a certain screw assembly which are supplied by a second company that specializes in manufacturing the screw assemblies. Engineers from the first and second companies can enter a collaborative graphical viewing environment to allow them to simultaneously view 3D models of the screw assembly. In the collaborative environment, because the views of each session member are coupled, one engineer can point a cursor at a point on the 3D screw assembly object shown on the screen, and the other engineers will see where that cursor is being pointed to. Collaborative markup tools allow better communication through a variety of shapes such as circle, arrows, and textual markups. For example, if it is desired to communicate to the screw assembly manufacturer to verify the length dimension of a pin in the screw assembly as displayed on the screen, a rectangle shape can be drawn around the pin on the screen and a text note attached requesting “Check pin length”. In the synchronous collaboration environment, the newly added markup will appear on the screens of every participating collaboration session member.
Often, it is desirable to save the results of a collaboration session to reload later. For example, it may happen that, due to the time constraints of participating members, a synchronous collaboration session must end before completion of the collaborative effort In this case, it would be desirable to be able to save the current state of the collaboration session and to be able to reload it later in order to continue the collaborative effort. As another example, all desired parties may not be available during the time the synchronous collaboration session is conducted. It would therefore be desirable in this case to save the results from the collaboration session, including named camera position views and graphical markups associated with those camera positions, for later viewing by members who were absent.